Swooper1987

Composure in front of goal telling. Terrible decision against Gawny in the last. They are really trying hard to reduce his influence. Preuss is unfortunately not up to it. He's an adequate centre square ruck for about 30 minutes. He gives nothing else. Oliver was great for three quarters, Fritsch very good, and despite Campbell Brown's observations, Gawn dominated Hickey. Harmes was solid, Brayshaw and Lewis played great team roles and May continues to impress. A few positives.

6. Max "That's ruck craft Big Boy" Gawn - he gives our midfield such an advantage which they continually don't utilise. 5. Jack Viney - his best game in a long time 4. Harry Petty - looked a natural 3. Steve May - love his attack on the ball and the man 2. Christian Salem - one of two Christians to play a very solid game today 1. Christian Petracca - the other one.

Salem is an amazing ball user and would be best used in this side as the last bloke to touch it before it goes inside 50. We just need to lower the eyes and find the target inside 50. He can do that.

Salem comfortably best today for us. Just so composed. 6. Salem 5.Viney 4. May 3. Oliver 2. Jones 1. Tracc

Max now second in The Age player of the year behind Grundy, after polling 8 votes in the win over Freo. Grundy on 77, Gawn 70, Tim Kelly 68 and Fyfe on 60. I'm tipping Max to run big Brodie down if we can put a few wins together in the last 9 games. Looks like two rucks in the AA team again this year.

This. Those leaving Gawn out of the votes clearly didn't watch the game. His influence was incredible as usual. Thought Frost was great too.

He's amazing. The best ruckman since Simon Madden and there have been some good ones, like Dean Cox. Grundy is a really good player but he got a lesson today from the big fella. His ability to cover the ground, win his own ball, gain metres and take contested marks is second to none. His disposal efficiency is down compared to Grundy because he actually gains a lot of metres per game and tends to go long rather than short.

Those Brownlow odds are coming in again. What an amazing effort by the big fella against his nearest competition. If we were having a better season he'd be lauded as the best player in Australia.

I second that. Geez, Max Gawn is a bloody unbelievable player.

Positives: winning centre clearance 8-2. Gawn having the better of Grundy. Oliver playing well. Negatives: skill level is deplorable.

Better players than Lewis have done this - Simon Madden and Terry Daniher are two who spring immediately to mind and it looks like his old mate Rough will be doing the same too. Just guys who love playing footy and enjoy everything about being in a footy club. It says a lot about him as a bloke I think. If anything, it probably enhances his legacy.

Round 4 v Sydney he was outstanding. His first 3 games were not of his usual standard. This year he is our best player by so far it's scary. No Brayshaw stealing votes this year (at least up to now). If we have a better second half, which I think we will, he is a real chance.

Max is currently 3rd in the Age player of the year and equal 12th in the AFLCA Award. He has possibly polled Brownlow votes in 5 games between rounds 4 and 11. I'd think he would poll against Sydney, Hawthorn, West Coast, GWS and Adelaide. We only won two of those games so 3's might be thin on the ground. He's got career best disposals averages in 2019 and his influence on games is pretty obvious to all except the Herald Sun footy writers who couldn't even find a vote for him on Saturday night when he was either best or second best on the ground with Crouch from Adelaide. I think the $67 on offer from sportsbet is too juicy to refuse. If he continues with this form and we win 6 or so games in the second half of the season I think he's a huge chance. He certainly has nobody taking votes from this year like Brayshaw and Oliver did last season. He'd have to be back in AA calculations as well, given they picked both him and Grundy last season. Can't wait to see the Gawn v Grundy battle on Monday!

Max is now third in the Age Player of the Year award with 54 votes, behind Grundy (68) and Tim Kelly (61). He doesn't get a look in at the Hun, but no surprise there. He's in the top 19 in the AFLCA award as of last week and should move further up after Saturday night. I think he's been excellent since round 4 and is a chance to poll a lot of Brownlow votes between round 4 and round 11. He could have picked up votes in games against Sydney, Hawthorn, Gold Coast, West Coast, GWS and Adelaide. He's currently at $67 with Sportsbet but given the lack of competition from team mates this season I think he's not without a chance. His biggest test will be next week against Grundy but he usually plays well against him. He's having another wonderful season despite the team performance.

Josh Smith impressed, the big forward for country who kicked 3 and missed a couple. Moved well, very competitive, took the forward line ruck work and did not get outmarked once in the entire game. He's a big unit but with a couple of preseasons could come along nicely.

6. Gawn easily 5. Jones was good most of the night 4. Oliver amazing second quarter 3. Viney 2. Harmes 1. Garlett - 3 goals but could have been a match winner

I was unfortunate enough to be at the game and in the first half I saw Max Gawn play one of the great one out games. He was magnificent and without him we would have been at least 70 points down at half time. Hore and Frost were the only other players who gave anywhere near an acceptable performance in the first half. Based on the fact the game was effectively over at half time I'd go: 6 Gawn 5. Hore 4. Frost 3. Viney 2. J Wagner 1. Baker

6. Salem - consistently outstanding ball use all game. 5. Oliver - his last quarter was magnificent 4. Melksham - great first half 3. Jones - a steady head, composed all game 2. Frost - he is in rare form 1. Gawn - beat Witts who is a very good player. His last minute was decisive in the outcome.

Terrible today. His defensive work and pressure was way down. He's a gun though and will bounce back.

Max is a champion player who rivals Dean Cox and Simon Madden as the best ruckman of the past thirty years. He is a better pure ruck than Grundy and his form this year has been very good - not as good thus far as last season but with 2/3 of the season still to play he is building well. He was brilliant on the weekend against probably the third best ruckman in the competition.

Go back and look at all of the last 10 minutes.

The Age votes by John Pierik, who actually is a pretty decent journo and watches the game: 8 Gawn 8 Harmes 7 Oliver 7 Salem 7 Shiels Hard to argue with.

Because they are both leaders (especially Lever) who understand how a backline should set up. But anyway...

I've been off Lewis for a while now but I thought he was actually quite good in the last 10 minutes today. His marshalling of the defence and his important late touches made a real difference. He is a liability in that he is of no use when the game is at its quickest but as it slows down and becomes more of a slog he can find a useful groove. He's not long for the AFL but I thought he did what was needed late today. Having said that I'd think that when Lever and May return there won't be the same need for his generalship of the defence.

It's a rule (and not a new one), he's a smart guy and a professional footballer and he infringed twice and it could have meant a different result. He played a great game but that was just dumb. And yes he did kill O'Meara.